FEMA Teams Threatened by Armed Militia
Rutherford County Loses Federal Assistance.
FEMA teams in Rutherford County are moving to other areas of WNC because their personal safety is at risk as a result of Donald Trump’s lies.
Across the country, thousands of followers of Donald J. Trump have repeated and amplified his false claims that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are confiscating private property after signing homeowners up for emergency $750 funds.
They claim that $750 is the maximum funding anyone can get from FEMA. In fact, $750 is provided by FEMA for immediate needs in an emergency. Those who have lost property, businesses, income, and other valuables may make a claim for much larger amounts. But, because of false assertions—okay, let’s call them flat-out lies—Trump supporters are frightening victims of Hurricane Helene across western NC into refusing FEMA’s help with food, water, emergency repairs, and other necessary aid.
Rutherford County Loses Federal Assistance
Most recently, over Columbus Day weekend, FEMA teams in Rutherford County, just southeast of Buncombe and Henderson counties, are leaving, no longer providing any post-hurricane assistance, because “armed militias” are threatening government workers in the region. Those FEMA and other federal workers are being moved to other areas of WNC because their personal safety, even their lives, are at risk as a result of Donald Trump’s lies being treated as fact by his right-wing followers.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, an official with the US Forest Service, which is working with FEMA on post-hurricane recovery efforts, sent an urgent message to a number of federal agencies warning that “FEMA has advised all federal responders Rutherford County, NC, to stand down and evacuate the county immediately. The message stated that National Guard troops ‘had come across trucks of armed militia saying there were out hunting FEMA.’”
A Forest Service official coordinating Helene recovery said responders had moved to a “safe area.” The crews—which stopped their work helping residents of that part of Rutherford County—had been clearing trees off damaged and blocked roads to assist search-and-rescue crews, allow access to public and private groups delivering essential emergency supplies, such as bottled water, diapers, canned food, etc.
Home-Grown Terrorism
This is the result of the political power of Donald Trump. He is campaigning to regain the presidency, despite having been found guilty of 34 federal felonies and liable for more than $80 million in civil penalties against individuals and the State of New York. He remains under indictment for another 80+ charges.
Those who believe him have become “a clear and present danger” to the United States and its continued peaceful democracy. They are, in reality, a fifth-column movement whose potential success would leave the United States at the mercy of our known enemies and rivals, including, especially, the terrorist Russian regime of Vladimir Putin.
